Screening America’s New Arrivals: Characterization of Refugees seen at DeKalb Public Health
Abstract
Background: DeKalb County resettles more refugees than any other Georgia county and is projected to welcome over 90% of the refugees coming to Georgia in 2024. Characterizing the patients seen by DeKalb Public Health's Refugee Health Program is necessary for understanding the needs of this population.
Methods: We obtained refugee health screening results from electronic medical records from January 2020 through December 2022. Descriptive analyses of the demographic, medical history, mental health status, and other screening data were performed using RStudio.
Results: From 2020 through 2022, the Refugee Health Program screened 2,974 patients. About half (53%) were male and the median age was 21.0 years. About three-fourths (76%) required an interpreter, with the most common languages being Dari (25%), Pashto (17%), and Swahili (12%).
Medical histories revealed that the most frequent problems were dental (59%), musculoskeletal (26%), gastrointestinal (18%), and integumentary (e.g., skin) (18%) issues. Further, 19% reported exposure to a stressful or traumatic event and 11% reported a mental health concern; however, only 7% were willing to speak to a mental health professional.
Among refugee patients, 1,788 (60%) were seen within 90 days of arrival. In addition, there were 115 high-priority patients due to their pre-immigration tuberculosis status; 85 (74%) were seen within 90 days of arrival.
Conclusion: With the most common health concerns outlined, this analysis highlights the importance of interpretation services and community partnerships for medical and mental health referrals. Solutions, like additional staffing, must be implemented to reach operational efficiency to ensure all refugee patients are screened within 90 days of arrival, especially as DeKalb County expects a 360% increase in incoming refugees in 2024 compared to 2022. Understanding refugee health data is crucial for informing clinic practices and evaluating if patients’ needs are being met.
Keywords
Refugee Health, Health Equity, Diversity and Culture
Screening America’s New Arrivals: Characterization of Refugees seen at DeKalb Public Health
Background: DeKalb County resettles more refugees than any other Georgia county and is projected to welcome over 90% of the refugees coming to Georgia in 2024. Characterizing the patients seen by DeKalb Public Health's Refugee Health Program is necessary for understanding the needs of this population.
Methods: We obtained refugee health screening results from electronic medical records from January 2020 through December 2022. Descriptive analyses of the demographic, medical history, mental health status, and other screening data were performed using RStudio.
Results: From 2020 through 2022, the Refugee Health Program screened 2,974 patients. About half (53%) were male and the median age was 21.0 years. About three-fourths (76%) required an interpreter, with the most common languages being Dari (25%), Pashto (17%), and Swahili (12%).
Medical histories revealed that the most frequent problems were dental (59%), musculoskeletal (26%), gastrointestinal (18%), and integumentary (e.g., skin) (18%) issues. Further, 19% reported exposure to a stressful or traumatic event and 11% reported a mental health concern; however, only 7% were willing to speak to a mental health professional.
Among refugee patients, 1,788 (60%) were seen within 90 days of arrival. In addition, there were 115 high-priority patients due to their pre-immigration tuberculosis status; 85 (74%) were seen within 90 days of arrival.
Conclusion: With the most common health concerns outlined, this analysis highlights the importance of interpretation services and community partnerships for medical and mental health referrals. Solutions, like additional staffing, must be implemented to reach operational efficiency to ensure all refugee patients are screened within 90 days of arrival, especially as DeKalb County expects a 360% increase in incoming refugees in 2024 compared to 2022. Understanding refugee health data is crucial for informing clinic practices and evaluating if patients’ needs are being met.
